Why Can't You See?
by Silent-Ninja x
Summary: Loosely based on the song by Taylor Swift. Percy and Annabeth are best friends but both feel something more than friendship. But something is in the way of their happy ending, and it comes in the form of Rachel Dare... Sorry I suck at summaries. PERCABETH
1. Chapter 1

**AN : ok so this has been on my computer for a while now so I decided to FINALLY do something about it and put it on fanfiction. **

**It is loosely based on the song "You Belong With Me' by Taylor Swift.**

**I LOVE Rachel Dare, but as I needed a *insert rude and unnecicery word here* for my story, I decided to use Rachel. However, I do love her very muchly so please don't hate me for making her this mean. **

**On with the story then!**

"Come on just listen to me… I know but-…. just listen to me! You know I would never say something like that seriously…"

Percy sounds exasperated as he tries to restrain the tone of anger in his already shaking voice, the phone in his hand in danger of shattering in his vice-like grip. He had been on the phone for over twenty minutes, repeating the same sentences over and over, getting more and more irritated, pacing up and down in the now deserted school corridor. Even from a good five metres away, hidden behind my locker door, I can hear the high pitched squawking on the other end of the phone, which could only mean that he was talking to his long standing girlfriend, Rachel Dare.

To say she was upset was an understatement.

Percy had been with her for five minutes just before the bell rang, four of which he had spent with her tongue thrust down his throat in a very unpleasant manner, right next to my locker where Rachel knew I was standing, smirking at me around Percy's mouth. When they finally broke apart and I was able to access her locker without being drooled on, Percy had looked Rachel up and down, admiring her new skirt. I had almost chocked with revulsion when I had seen Rachel sashay down the corridor in a (probably) real snake-skin skirt which honestly more resembled a belt.

_Oh god when did I turn into my Grandmother?_

Percy, being Percy, had assumed (as he always did) that Rachel was to nice to purchase illegal animal skins and had congratulated her on finding such a realistic material. I sniggered as I realised there was an undertone of revision in his voice, but he is a very convincing liar and she obviously thought he was being sincere and preened under what she thought to be his admiring tone. Looking at her face, however, Percy had tried unsuccessfully to hide a small smile as he saw the huge red spot perched like an ugly fly on the end of her 'look-what-my-daddy-bought-me' nose, so obvious it may as well have been sticking its tongue out at him. After trying to convince his over dramatic girlfriend he was smiling because he was simply happy, he had made the mistake of making a light hearted joke about her, teasing her about her 'little red friend' that had sprouted volcano-like on the end of her nose. His comment was nothing offensive at all, and personally, I thought it was actually a very nice comment, since the pimple closely resembled Mount Vesuvius the day before it erupted, just without the smoke, and I sniggered again.

Rachel however had not taken this remark well.

Storming down the corridor with her gang of wannabes trailing pathetically behind her, red faced and snarling, and yelling obscenities at him until her voice was muffled by the slamming of the door, she drove away in her yellow sports car in a very obvious huff. Percy had just stood there, utterly complexed and un-moving until I had taken hold of his arm and pulled him to the side, away from the jeering crowds and the swarm of students trying to squeeze out of the doors. It was then that he had pulled out his cell phone and called up Rachel, reaching a very angry girl on the other end of the line. This led to the unhappy scene I was now witnessing.

I watch as his face contorts with anger and his hand shake even more as her screeches reach a new level of loudness and he sinks to the floor, head cradled in his hand. He is so obviously upset and there was nothing I can do to help. I kneel down beside him and try unsuccessfully to prise his hands from his face as Rachel's indignant screams echo through the corridor. Sighing as he remains unresponsive under my insistent pulling, I give up and straighten up, listening to his desperate pleas for her forgiveness.

_He doesn't deserve this_ I think, now shaking with anger. _And she doesn't deserve him._

Suddenly I can't take it anymore. Without another word I turn away from Percy, grab my bag from the floor, sprint down the corridor and burst out of the doors. The car park is almost empty now, just a few students slowly wandering in the direction of their cars. Since Percy drove me to school this morning I have no choice but to walk home.

Slowly I trudge through the mountains of leaves that littered the car park, kicking them high into the air and watching them flutter down to the ground, twisting and turning, spiralling down until they scatter onto the concrete, red, yellow, orange, and brown, bold splashes of colour contrasting against the dull grey of my surroundings. The air is crisp and cold, my breath coming in clouds that swirl in the gentle breeze that lifts my curls and whispered against my skin. Already my nose is numb with cold so I bury my face in my scarf, inhaling the familiar scent and digging my hands deep into my coat pockets, berating myself for forgetting my gloves.

As I continue along the familiar pavement I realise that it seems very dark for this time of year, unusually so. Of course the days are getting shorter, but not this short. I turn my face up towards the sky and curse as I see the ominous black storm clouds gathering above my head, circling like vultures. Reaching into my bag I swear after realising that I have no umbrella, no plastic bag, nothing. Normally I love the rain, the way the drops of water feel against my skin, but today I am just not in the mood.

_It is NOT my day…_

Grumbling to myself I look up again just in time to feel a large raindrop splash against my nose, the icy water trickling down my face. Then another follows it, and another….

Suddenly, water cascades from the sky, thundering down onto me, soaking me instantly. Rivers of icy rain water pour down my neck and along the pavement, sinking into my shoes and filling my socks so that they squelch unpleasantly with every step. Water continues to pour from the sky as I speed up, soaking everything in its path. Squinting through the onslaught of rain I realise that it isnt going to stop anytime soon.

Then I decide to run.

—

I arrive home, soaked to the skin and shivering so much I can hardly hold my front door key in my numb hand. A quick glance in the direction of the drive tells me my father isn't at home, not that I expected him to be. He never is.

Pushing that from my mind, I make my way up to my front door and, with a degree of difficulty, manage to unlock it, the key slipping from my numb fingers three times in the process. Finally I hear the satisfying click of the lock and stumble across the threshold, slamming the door behind me to shut out the howling storm without bothering to lock it.

I am still soaked to the skin, my body now completely numb and my clothes sticking to me like an icy second skin, making my whole body shudder wit the shivers that wrack my body and my teeth chatter violently. Dumping my sodden bag on the radiator I stagger upstairs towards the bathroom. Once inside, I peel off my wet clothes and leave them in a heap by the door. I then turn the shower full blast and step under the cascading water, swearing when the hot water washes over my frozen skin, tingles of burning heat travelling down my spine, making me shake worse than ever.

_Stupid Rachel, stupid Percy, stupid spot._

Slowly my skin becomes accustomed to the warmth and turns a strange shade of mottled pink, instead of frozen white. After a long time of just standing underneath the steaming water and just letting all my stress wash down the drain, I sigh and turn off the water, immediately missing the comforting sound of the rushing water and the warmth. Ignoring the pile of clothes by the door I wrap myself in a towel and trudge along the landing towards my bedroom and shutting the door.

—

I love my room.

Its right at the top of the house so it has a sloping roof and a big bay window which looks out across the street. When we first moved here, before my mum died, I ran straight up and claimed it by throwing my suitcase right in the middle of the room, sitting on it and stamping my foot. My father laughed and called me his little drama queen, picking me up and throwing me into the air. He always used to laugh.

My mum helped me decorate it. I refused the tins of boring pastel shades she offered and instead ran straight past her to the bright colours and promptly picked up sky blues and deep purples and greens. She laughed and payed for them happily and we spent three blissful days painting and furnishing my room. During those three days neither of us were ever devoid of flecks of paint and the house was filled with overlapping multicoloured footsteps that traced patterns over all of the carpets, some of which are still there because it was just impossible to get out. My dad tried countless times but to no avail. It seemed the house wanted to keep my mum's memory, be it as slightly faded blue footprints on the now threadbare carpet. My dad keeps threatening to replace the carpet, saying it looks shabby and unclean but I wont let him.

After my mother died I refused to change the colour of my room, even when the paint stared to crack and peel away from the wall, revealing the pastel pink shades of the wallpaper underneath. Instead I just covered the cracks with pictures; of me and my mum, of friends, pets, places, Percy…

Now my room is my only safe place, the only thing that hasn't changed since that dreadful December, the one thing I can depend on (apart from Percy that is).

I sigh and throw myself onto my bed, my still wet hair soaking the sheets instantly.

No matter what I do, he always finds a way back into my thoughts. He is always there, his sea green eyes, his amazing smile, his kind heart…

_Damn him and his perfectness._

I have always loved him, even back when we were kids. His mum was one of the first to come and welcome us into our house, bringing with her a plate of blue cookies and a small, black haired boy with green eyes who took one look at me and challenged me to a duel. Naturally I won, crowing with victory as i pinned him to the ground, my 'knife' (a small twig) pressed against his throat as the adults laughed behind us. The boy underneath me pouted, then grinned sheepishly up at me, his eyes shining and his hair tousled. I decided then and there that I was going to marry him one day.

We have been best friend ever went to primary school together, spending recess in a small corner of the playground, talking of myths and legends, minotaurs and great heros, monsters and centaurs. We created great lands, heros more powerful than any before, the sons and daughters of the gods themselves. The other children called us freaks, weirdos, but we didn't care. We had each other, what else did we need?

He was there to comfort me when my mum died, holding me as I wept as they carried her body out of the house, holding my hand as they lowered the coffin into the ground and was there beside me as I watched them shovel grimy dirt into the dark hole, covering the red rose petals I had scattered on the black wood of her coffin, burying her forever.

He was there when we started high school, stood up for me when the girls made fun of my shabby clothes and worn out sneakers. We were always a little short of money in those days and I couldn't afford any designer clothes like the others wore. Even though my dad earns quite a bit more now, I have never changed my style. I prefer to be invisible.

I was there when he discovered girls and hugged him tight when he proclaimed his love to a young girl called Thalia who smirked and called him ugly in front of our whole class. However, Thalia forgave him and completely by accident she is now my best girl friend.

All through this I loved him, but I could never bring myself to tell him. It has been ten years since I met him and I still love him, that little boy with the green eyes, the man I now see with his amazing smile and happy outlook on life, always there when I need him.

Then Rachel came. She is your typical popular girl, with her christmas-present-nose and her shorter-than-short skirts and her gang of pathetic, gossiping wannabes. She was the one who started the campaign against me in seventh grade, making snide comments about my shabby clothes and lack of a mother. She christened me with the name "jaws" after having braces for 2 long years. Even after all this time, she still mouths that name at me from across the corridor, sometimes pairing the words with insults like ugly, fat, stupid… You get the picture. But she decided that she liked Percy and soon enough he had been trapped by her perfectly outlined eyes and her carefully coloured lips and her perfectly formed, curvy figure.

He's a guy, you cant really blame him.

He swears she's changed. But I know she's still that rich, spiteful, mean girl who has made my life a misery for the last four years. But at first I though he was happy with her so I didn't complain, I just tried to be happy for him. But after all the misery she has put him through I cant pretend anymore. It kills me that she upsets him so much, but what can I do? He's way too nice and forgiving to ever break up with her, and she knows it.

I know it too.

Growling I push myself off my bed and reach for my chest of drawers. I grab some baggy sweatpants and my old, orange, camp t-shirt. I smile as I put it on.

Every year Percy and I go to the camp. When we were younger, we used to pretend our parents sent us there to train to be heroes and used to call ourselves the son of Poseidon (you know the greek god of the sea) and I was, of course, the daughter of the goddess of wisdom, Athena. Now of course we know that was just a game, but it seemed real at the time. We still go every year, but now we're councillors and help the younger children who are going for the first time. I love going to that camp with Percy, just because its just him and me, like it always has been. No Rachel, no bullies, no parents. Just us.

Mentally shaking myself, I grab my brush from where it's lying on my bedside table and attempt to tame to blonde curls that are now starting to dry. After wrestling with my hair for a good five minutes I give up and tie the whole thing in a bun on top of my head. However, two curls fall down either side of my face and refuse to stay in the band and so in the end, exasperated, I just leave them there and absentmindedly make my way over to the mirror that hangs on the opposite wall.

I was never really bothered by my appearance. Other girls spend hours obsessing over the tinniest flaw but I would rather spend energy on more important things. But now i look at my reflection very critically.

I look like I always do, slightly tanned skin, curly blonde hair, grey eyes. My camp t-shirt is full of holes and covered with various stains. I finger the large rip at the bottom of the shirt, smiling as I remember how it came to be…

_Percy and I are running along the sandy beach, laughing and shouting as we race to the tree at the end. Percy is fast, but i'm faster. I put on a surge of speed and sprint flat out over the finishing line, yelling in triumph. Percy laughs as I do my famous victory dance, trhusting my hips and punching the air. We both collapse under the tree, the bark rough against our backs, the smell of sap coming from the tree and the strong scent of salt washing over us from the gentle sea breeze that lifts our hair and tickles our faces. I turn my head and look at Percy and find him already looking at me, a small smile one his face. _

_I ask him whats wrong and he just shrugs, saying that he thinks my eyes are pretty. I blush and call him a seaweed brain and he laughs, throwing back his head, making his eyes flash and his hair fall across his face. I reach out and brush the hair from his eyes and he grins again. We sit there for a long time, soaking in the sun and just enjoying each others company. After a while I look up at the leaves above us and smile as the sun makes them glow a luminous green, making the shadows below us dappled and shifting. I notice a plastic bag caught in the branches and frown. I have always hated littering and seeing the bag just makes me upset. I get to my feet and brush the sandy dirt off my bum and smile down at Percy when he asks what i'm doing. I tell him and he leaps to his feet and offers me a boost to get into the lower branches. I want to refuse; just because i'm a girl, doesn't mean I cant climb a tree, but as I look up I sigh as I realise I cant actually reach the lowest branch. I reluctantly agree and he links his fingers together for me to stand on. _

_I place my foot on his hands and pull myself up into the tree, scratching my palms in the process. I keep climbing, carefully placing my hand s and feet until I have reached the bag. I unwind it from where it has wrapped itself around the branches and grin with triumph when I pull it off, Percy cheering below me. I then start to make my way down the tree, still smiling as a step down onto a branch below me._

_There is a loud crack and suddenly i'm hanging precariously from a single thin branch that is in danger of snapping at any minute. Percy yells and I can hear him trying to talk to me put i'm panicking because the branch is snapping and I know its a long way done. I thrash around, trying to find a sturdy branch but only succeeding in making the one I'm clinging to crack louder. I know then that its no use, that I am going to fall. I close my eyes and i feel the branch snap _

_Then i'm falling, weightless, free, tumbling down towards the ground. I brace myself…_

_I land with a dull thud._

_I am confused. I have definitely landed, i'm sure i'm not falling anymore. But it doesn't hurt, its not the ground. Im comfortable and lying on something soft which is moving! I open my eyes and find that I am in Percy's arms. He caught me as I fell but was unable to hold me upright and we both crashed to the floor. He is sitting up, shouting my name, trying to get me to say something. I can see that he is very worried. With difficulty I smile at him, but a stray tear that formed whilst I was hanging from that branch trickles down my cheek and I feel more threaten to follow it, from shock or relief I don't know. Percy wipes it away and hugs me hard and I feel safe. _

_Later, when we return to camp, I notice a large tear in my shirt and Percy laughs and tells me never to mend it because it holds a memory. I promise and he smiles his eyes lighting up like the sun…_

I smiled at the memory, still gazing into the mirror. I look carefully at my eyes. They are grey, as in an actually slate grey, which is very unusual. Percy always says that they look like storm clouds deep and beautiful yet dangerous. I love it when he says things like that, but I know he's just being nice. Being Percy.

I pull myself away from the mirror and curse. No matter how hard I try, I can never get him out of my mind. In desperation I reach across my desk and put my i-pod on shuffle and turn the volume up loud. I smile as my favourite My Chemical Romance song blasts out of the speakers.

_Perfect._

My taste in music is strange. I love quiet, slow, love songs as much as anyone else and secretly I'm a Taylor Swift fan, but I just love My Chemical Romance. Percy thinks my strange music taste is hilarious and accepts it and even sings along when I play them on the way to school in his car. Whenever Rachel insists on getting a lift to school with Percy I always purposefully choose the most depressing, wailing numbers just to irritate her and I just turn it louder when she complains and insists on playing some chart rubbish.

"_Well I know a thing about contrition, because I got enough to spare, and I'll be granting your permission, 'cause you haven't got a prayer…"_

Laughing, I bring the brush thats still in my hand up to my mouth and scream the lyrics at the top of my voice into my 'microphone' leaping onto my bed and jumping in time to the beat. I grin widely as all thoughts of Percy and Rachel are blasted from my mind by the angry tones of Gerard Way. I sing (well shout) the whole song and smile when _"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"_ comes on, laughing at how well it fits.

I am half way through the second chorus and dancing like a loony with my back to the door when I hear a very familiar laugh fro behind me. I freeze, then spin around in horror when I see Percy leaning against my door frame looking highly amused, grinning from ear to ear. I drop my brush and quickly switch off my speakers, my face a blazing red and face Percy again.

There is a long silence until, simultaneously, we both burst out laughing.

Still giggling I watch as he grins at me before standing up straight and walking over to my bed and throwing himself onto it. Even though he is only slightly damp, having walked just five metres from his car to my front door, I just cant help myself.

"Perseus Jackson" I scold, grinning him as he looks irritated at my use of his full name (which he hates) "You are soaking wet, look what a mess you've made of my clean bedclothes! I'll smack you for that!"

He smiles at me, then an evil smirk creeps onto his face and he snickers before saying "Is that supposed to be a punishment? Sounds more like a reward…"

He winks at me roguishly and grins at my horror-struck expression for a second before a (very well aimed) pillow smacks him full in the face, replacing his smug expression to one of shock, then thoughtful. Before I have time to react, I receive a face full of pillow which I return with a loud battle cry. A pillow fight of epic proportions ensues, each of us armed with a deadly projectile and smacking each other round the head with them. Laughing properly for what seems like the first time in ages, I climb onto the bed, returning the blows with just as much force, laughing as his pillow explodes and both of us get a face full of downy feathers.

The fight ends as it always does, with me delivering the final blow and forcing him to submit.

I straddle his hips and hold my weapon underneath his chin like a knife, grinning evilly at him until he surrenders, laughing. I haven't heard him laugh for such a long time, and twice in one day seems so unexpected, for a second I loose concentration, listening to his beautiful laugh that I have missed so much. Before I fully comprehend what is happening, he has flipped me over and I am trapped underneath him, screaming as he tickles me mercilessly on my exposed stomach, unable to escape his relentless torture.

"No fair!" I gasp, desperately trying to wriggle away "You dirty, rotten, cheating…"

A hand clamps over my mouth and a voice whispers in my ear "_Language_ Annabeth, what would your Grandma say?"

I repress the urge to giggle and lick his hand. He yelps and yanks his hand away and I take the opportunity to wrestle him onto his back, my hands holding his arms above his head and my lags clamping down on his waist. Somehow in the middle of the fight, my hair has come loose and it now hangs like curtains either side of us, a shield from the rest of the world.

We are both breathing hard at this point, white feathers adorning both our faces and sprinkled like snow on our heads, fluttering down into my eyes. I giggle again as he attempts to free himself from my grasp and more feathers vacate his hair and fall onto his face.

I lean down and blow gently on his face to remove the offending objects and then make to retreat again but I make the mistake of looking into his eyes.

Once I look, I cant look away.

He is staring at me with such intensity, his gaze seems to hold me exactly where I am where I am.

_For goodness sake Annabeth, he looks at you and you're caught like a bloody rabbit in headlights! Get a grip woman!_

_Shut up. _I tell my brain.

We are nose to nose now, and so close that I can feel his breath on my face, count his eyelashes, see every different shade of green in his eyes.

"I think..." I whisper, hardly daring to move my lips as we are so close "I win"

He doesn't reply and just keeps staring into my eyes, apparently lost in thought. I'm trying to read his expression and because I know him so well the answer comes to me quickly. But once I realise what it is, I tell myself i'm seeing things. For a second it looked like…love?

I must have caught flu from walking home in the rain, my brain is seeing things. I am definitely hallucinating.

But he still hasn't pulled away.

Mesmerised, I can do nothing but watch as he moves a centimetre closer, slowly closing the gap between our lips. I feel my eyes widen in shock but also in anticipation, even though my brain is screaming that it must be a joke, because Percy would never like me like that, that we're best friends, that he is getting _very _close now…

My brain rambles on at me, going into overdrive as his gaze moves down to my lips and back up again. By now, my heart is thumping a hundred miles and hour and I can feel his heart beating just a fast through his thin tee shirt.

"Annabeth…" he breathes, in a voice so quiet its almost inaudible and I find myself leaning in to try and hear it. He's getting closer now, the gap between us is shrinking. I try to keep looking at him but I can feel myself going cross eyed so I close my eyes….

_Ring ring!_

We both jump and pull away sharply, completely taken aback, as if we were unaware that there was anyone else in the world at that moment but us. I get off Percy very quickly and put some distance between us by sitting on the edge of the bed as he sits up, looking dazed and unsure of what just happened.

_I know the feeling…_

"Hello? Oh, hi… Rachel."

My heart plummets.

"Yeah, i'm sorry too… No it was my fault, I was rude and-… alright then i'll see you tomorrow. Goodbye"

He hangs up and for a while neither of us speak.

My heart feels like someone has just ripped it out and kicked it away with a pair of steel toed boots. I stare at the ground, desperately truing to hold back the tears that threaten to come pouring from my eyes. I hear him stand up and take a couple of deep breaths.

"Well, I'd better be going" he says, his voice strained and unnaturally tense.

I nod, unable to look at him for fear the tidal wave of tears that are threatening to fall might make an appearance.

I hear him sigh as he walks over to my door. He is about to leave when he suddenly turns and I blink at him, unsure of what to do.

"I actually came here to apologise for abandoning you to walk home in the rain" He runs his hands through his hair, laughing in a strange, tense way that doesn't sound like him at all "I am really sorry you know, I am so grateful that you're such a good friend to me."

I nod again, trying not to show what his words were doing to me, ducking my head so my face was covered by my hair. I hear him sigh agin and he walks over to me and kneels down, parting my hair like a curtain. His emerald eyes burn into mine and I swallow thickly, concentrating all my efforts into not letting the tears fall.

"I am so sorry for what an abysmal friend I have been recently. I really am" He smiles at me before enveloping me into a hug, holding me tight against him as if he's scared I'll push him away. Of course I don't, clutching him to me tightly, breathing in his familiar Percy smell, burying my face in his neck.

After a long time we part, smiling at each other.

Then he moves towards the door and walks out without a second glance.

* * *

><p>As I walk away from her, I let the false smile slip from my face. I almost kissed her. There I said it. I almost kissed my best friend. And for a second, I actually let myself think that she wanted me back.<p>

_Don't be stupid Percy, like she'll ever like you like that. You're best friends,thats all you ever going to be…_

Somehow I have walked across the street and up to my front door without even noticing, so wrapped up in my thoughts I hadn't even noticed crossing the road. Forcing myself not to think about Annabeth, I let myself into the house, yelling my arrival. Of course no reply comes, its not like i'm expecting one. My mum works long shifts to pay the bills, and my dad left before I was even born. He doesn't even know I exist.

I go up to my room and sit on my bed, my head in my hands.

_Its gonna be a long night..._

**What do you think? Should I continue this? It started out being a one-shot but it just kept GROWING so I think I will split it into 3 chapters...**

**Please please review to tell me what you think, I would love some constructive criticism to make my work better! Also, I apologise for any gramatical/spelling mistakes I may have made...**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: So so sorry about the whole 'not updating forever' thing, a combination of nasty flu and a month full of exams has almost completely stopped me writing.**

**On a very happy note, I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH! I have never had so many lovely reviews! :D I will try and get around to thanking you all personally, but I have to find the time...**

**Im not too happy with this chapter, Annabeth and Percy seem really OOC to me :/ please review and tell me what you think, even if its just a word I cherish it :)**

**Ok, now I sound really creepy and obsessive... so on with the story!**

**(Oh and I apologise in advance for any spelling/grammatical errors, I don't have a beta yet)**

It's been over a week since what my mind is now calling 'the pillow fight incident' and nothing has changed. Percy is the same, still happy, still my best friend, still infuriatingly perfect. He drives me to school every morning and we laugh and joke as always, me desperately trying not to let him see that i'm upset, trying not to show what that night meant to me. I laugh at his jokes, I smile t his stories, but inside I feel like my heart is ripping without every word he says. He is still with Rachel (obviously, like he's ever going to leave her) and she is the same as always; evil, bitchy and mean. But i'm used to her after all this time and her insults don't mean anything to me anymore. I just brush them off with a joke as I have always done, infuriating her to no end.

But I'm still very much confused, I still have no idea how to explain what happened that night.

_Of course you do, you read too much into it, as usual. It was just a game, nothing more, you mean nothing to him..._

_Shut up_ I tell my mind, trying to ignore the truth in it's endless babbling. I realise that only crazy people have little annoying voices in their head (even if mine does sound suspiciously like Rachel) but hey, at least I'm interesting!

I sigh, trying to resist rolling my eyes at my own weirdness, and reach for my cappuchino, yelping as it burns my tongue because I forgot that it's hot, again. Whimpering I stick out my poor abused tongue in front of me to cool it down, just as the fat old woman on the next table sneers in my direction. She looks shocked, then affronted, her face contorting in contempt. Despite the pain I quickly return my tongue to my mouth and give her a small wave, smiling at her slightly. She glare at me and turns back to her paper. Rolling my eyes again, I look around.

Im sitting at my favourite table in the coffee shop that is just next to the park, difficult to see at the present moment through the steam that coats the inside of the glass, making the outside world have a soft, comforting glow. I love it here. They know my order and the owner treats me like family, but thats just because i'm probably his most regular customer. Their coffee is always hot and just as delicious as any of the chain cafes and the perfect accompaniment to essay writing, that is if I were actually writing the essay that is due in tomorrow. But, as always, I have gotten myself completely distracted.

I have always been obsessed with architecture, much to Percy's amusement. I can spend hours at a time pouring over building plans or sketching designs on any piece of paper thats available. I often dream that one day i'll be the best architect that the world has ever seen, that I can build things that even the gods would envy. That is, if gods even exist, which I sincerely doubt.

Thats how I came to be here in a cold sunday afternoon, my nose red with cold, my laptop in front of me, staring longingly at the images of great architectural masterpieces that lie on my screen and dreaming absentmindedly of sharpened pencils and spiral staircases.

I'm so caught up in them, that I don't even notice someone come up behind me until I suddenly feel their fingers digging into my stomach, just at the spot that makes me squeal like a (very unattractive) pig, the spot that only one person knows about….

I squark loudly (and when I say loudly, I mean _loudly_) knocking my drink flying, squirming and yelling as the person behind me roars with un-contained laughter. I watch with horror as my coffee, now a wave of amber liquid, splashes down into the lap of the snarky woman and she shrieks with rage, standing as coffee drips down her obviously deigner top. She snarls at me but I glare back, still giggling from being tickled, failing miserably as I try my best to give her my death stare whilst coffee drips down her white blouse. The woman looks affronted and storms out of the shop.

I spin around and there is Percy, still laughing, tears rolling down his cheeks, green eyes filled with mirth. For a second this image completely immobilises me. Since he started going out with Rachel he hardly ever smiles anymore but I get over it and punch him on the arm, hard.

"Owww" moans Percy, still giggling as he clutches his arm "What was that for?"

"What do you think, seaweed brain?" I practically yell, although my smile kind of ruins the effect I was going for "You made me spill my coffee all over that poor woman!"

"Poor woman?" He says incredulously "From the looks she was giving you I figure she deserved it. I also had to distract you from those pictures, I mean, you were practically _drooling_…"

I cut him off with another punch but he doesn't seem to notice, still cackling with laughter. I sigh and roll my eyes at him.

I notice that it has gone strangely quiet in the usually noisy cafe, and I realise everyone is staring at Percy and me. I cough self-consciously and hurriedly shuffle over to my table, grabbing my laptop and stuffing it into my rucksack, hurriedly retiring my various (and unused) school papers to their designated folders. I turn to Percy who still has that adorable -I mean stupid- grin on his face.

I cough again and say "Shall we go?"

He smirks at me before gesturing towards the door. I apologise to the poor owner for causing all the hassle but he just smiles at me kindly and asks that I pay for the broken cup. I do willingly, Percy still chuckling behind me and I turn briefly to glare at him again.

Slinging my rucksack over my shoulder, I try to walk out of the door whilst still preserving whats left of my dignity, but of course end up walking into the glass door, which only makes Percy laugh louder as I rub my poor throbbing nose, cursing everyone and everything, hoping to the gods I don't look like rudolf.

Percy looks at me and tires to stifle a smirk and says "You know, with that red nose, you look kinda like Rudolf"

I glare at him and then spin back around, walking out into the cold afternoon. The frigid air hits me and I shiver, despite my thick hoodie the cold still affects me. The wind picks up and makes my curls fall across my face, and I wrap my arms around me to try and place a barrier between me and the icy breeze. Percy sees that i'm cold and offers his jacket but,as usual, I refuse, eventhough I'm shivering quite violently now. He sighs and mutters something about "stubborn girls" and takes his jacket off anyway and puts its around my shoulders. Although i'm ding to make a snide remark, in the end I just smile and pull his jacket closer, relishing its warmth and familiar Percy-smell.

"Don't think this means I've forgiven you" I smirk, shrugging off the straps of my rucksack and depositing it onto the floor and slipping my arms into the over-large sleeves of the familiar coat, snuggling into its warmth and trying not to let him see me inhaling the smell. Percy leans down to the floor at my feet and starts to pick up my rucksack but I grab his arm and, worried about the safety of my irreplaceable designs, say "What are you doing?"

"Carrying your bag" he shrugs, seeming perplexed at my seemingly strange behaviour "I'm being a gentleman"

I snort, sounding somewhat like a pig (which I'm sure is seriously attractive), and say "You? A gentleman? I'd like to see you try"

Percy looks indignant and splutters with disbelief "Hey! I a-am-"

I laugh and interrupt him, saying "And of course_ I'm_ the man in this relationship, we both know that"

He laughs and I let go of his arm regretfully, watching him as he slings the rucksack over his shoulder and staggers a little with the weight.

"What have you got in this thing?" he says, hoisting it higher onto his shoulder "Bricks?"

I roll my eyes at him again, but I smile at the same time "No its full of something called work. And books. I know you have never heard of such things but…"

"Hey" he exclaims, shoulder nudging me as we make our way down the road "I read!"

"Oh yes" I say, smirking "I had forgotten your unfortunate obsession with Twilight…"

I laugh as his face turns a rather violent shade of red "You said you'd never tell!"

This only makes me laugh more. The expression on his face is priceless and I cant help myself and I am helpless with laughter, unable to look at him without dissolving into new fit of mirth. Percy looks so embarrassed and its not often that I am able to render him speechless so I cherish the moment. After a while my laughter subsides, with Percy still looking indignant, I wink at him before turning to walk further down the road, still chuckling to myself.

I am just about to step down off the pavement when suddenly something yanks me from behind and I find myself in Percy's arms, one arm under my knees and the other behind my shoulders. Pretending that this doesn't make my heart beat about a million times a minute, I shriek "Perseus Jackson, PUT ME DOWN!"

He just laughs and starts to carry me towards the park with me kicking and screaming all the way. I block out the part of my brain telling me how good it feels to be wrapped up in his arms, his body heat warming me instantly. Legs still trying to kick him anywhere hat I can and arms flailing, I scream at him, smacking his arms with my fists, screeching death threats at him as he carries me through the gates of the park. Percy is still walking along as if this scene was nothing out of the ordinary, strutting down the small gravel path, nodding at a couple who are watching us with mouths open. A pair of old ladies shuffle out of his way and watch us pass with wide eyes.

"Nothing to worry about ladies" says Percy cheerfully as he struggles to restrain my flailing limbs "Just taking my friend here for a little walk…"

The women shuffle away muttering about crazy kids. I cant really blame them.

"Percy!" I scream, kicking my legs wildly "What are you doing!"

"Oh nothing" he says, a mysterious glint in his eye "I just think you could use a little…cooling off"

Thats when I realise where we're heading. I scream "Help, help! I'm being kidnapped!"

Naturally no one does anything to help, other than glance in our direction, shake their heads and return to whatever they were doing before. Realising that all the fighting I have been doing has done nothing to improve my situation, I give up and just glare at Percy, trying not to think about how close our faces are and how nice it feels to be all pressed up against him. Percy grins back, his green eyes alight with mischief.

Percy stops walking and its takes me a moment to figure out why.

I look down.

We are right on the edge of the river that runs through the centre of the park. In the summer it is clear as glass and children paddle in its cooling water, giggling and splashing and receiving disapproving looks from their parents sitting dry and humourless on the bank. This was once me and Percy, we spent many happy summers chasing ducks and splashing each other in these waters, free to play and be happy without any doubts or fears. However, in the winter the water is frigid and clouded with silt, making it look dangerous and dark. I know from past experiences that at this time of year the water is freezing and I have no desire to be in it. I start to scream again.

Percy smirks and holds me away from his body slightly and I almost whimper from the lack of contact, but I just scream louder to hide my disappointment. Im not usually much of a screamer, but this is an emergency.

"Hmmm, I still think you need a bit of a bath" says Percy, still grinning at me " I mean, I would absolutely hate to go in this river at this time of year, its _freezing_…"

A glimmer of a plan surfaces in my brain and I smirk at him. I stop screaming and struggling and instead loop my arms around Percy's neck, tangling my fingers in his hair and leaning towards his face, wisps of hair tickling my nose as I position my mouth next to his ear. I lean in even further until my lips brush the very edge of his ear, whispering softly "If I go in, you're coming with me"

Percy throws back his head and laughs before releasing me and I quickly get my feet back on solid ground, caking away from him warily incase he tries to pick me up again. His arms linger on my waist for a fraction of a second, but then they're gone and I realise I was probably imagining it. I look up at him, half angry, half amused. In the end I decide that being angry is a lot easier and slap him on the arm, glaring at him.

But he keeps laughing and his laugh is terribly infectious and soon we're both roaring with mirth, grinning at each other.

This has always been our relationship. We may tease and torment each other, but we will never mean it. We look after each other, we always have, and I don't know what I'd do without him.

Collapsing onto the bench behind us, I tip my head back and let the cool air soothe my beet-red face as Percy sits next to me, pulling off my bag and gently placing it on the floor with a fond expression. My heart does a little backflip when he does this, taking such care about my work because he knows how much it means to me.

I look around me, smiling.

The park is like I always remember it. Shoe trampled grass waves softly in the biting wind, droplets of shining water still visible from last weeks downpour that I was unfortunate enough to be stuck in. The river runs fast and smooth, ducks softly quacking and paddling through the murky water, their little orange feet waving and pushing in the strong current. Willow branches gently slope down form above us, shielding us from the world, the berry tips of the branches trailing in the river, causing silver ripples to flow from their tips like quicksilver, before joining the murky brown of the surrounding water. Crisp leaves, unaffected by the damp grass, drift lazily in the chilling breeze, icy frost already weaving across their mottled brown surface, dancing at our feet.

A memory comes unbidden to the forefront of my mind.

_I am seven years old and my mother has just died. I am sitting with Percy on this very bench, staring glumly at the now crystal eater of the river in summer, thesun lending a warm, golden glow to all it touched. But I felt that I was sitting in the sade, a feeling of gloom and sadness wash over me. _

_Percy scoots up the bench, sensing my distress, and takes hold of my hand. I give him a half-hearted smile, before letting it slip form my face as easily as the leaves that float on the surface of the water. _

"_Annabeth?" Percy asks, his voice much higher than it is now, his hand sticky from the jam sandwich he has just demolished "Why are you staring at the water like that"_

_I look at him, heart heavy and eyes cold "Because I'm wondering if I can sail a ship on it to where my mummy is"_

_He frowns, a furrow forming between his eyebrows. Even in the state I'm in, I cant help adoring his cuteness, the way he ponders over my problems like they're the most important things in the world makes me smile. He stares at the river for a while, apparently lost in thought, before fixing me with his green stare "But how will you sail?"_

"_I'll build a boat. I'll be the best boat designer there ever was!" I say with conviction, stating fact. I have been planning this, Sure that I can rescue my mum and bring her back so us. Then my dad will stop crying and he will have a shower and get up and we can be a family, and Percy can stay my best friend and we could all live happily ever after._

_He looks confused before saying "But grown-ups say that if someone goes to heaven then they're in the sky."_

"_Well then I'll make a plane" I say, but im starting to doubt my own abilities now. What if I cant save my mum? What if she's too far away to rescue? Tears form at the corner of my eye and I angrily brush them away with the back of my hand, trying to stay strong._

_Percy sees and puts his arm around me "Hey, your mum will be fine. Until you build that plane, I'll be here for you. Just you wait and see" He lets go of my hand and holds out his pinky "Best friends forever?"_

"_Forever and ever" I say sincerely, intwining my finger around his. He takes my hand again and together we watch the river until its time to go home._

I smile at the memory.

Despite all the things that have happened to me, all the dramas, hurts and falls, Percy has been my constant. Moments like this, when we are just simply together, enjoying each other's company, are the best feeling in the world and I cherish them.

I just love spending time with him like this, being around him is just so easy and natural. He looks at me and flashes a grin, showing his teeth and quirking his lip just slightly more to the left. I have known him enough years to know that this is his natural smile, that only appears when he is truly content. I have never seen him use it around Rachel. This just makes me smile back at him wider, before realising I probably looked really goofy and look away.

I look down at my feet, nervously shuffling my shoes together absentmindedly as I always do when i'm around Percy, my red converse, mud covered as they are, seemingly glowing against the grey backdrop of the grimy pavement, pushing aside crunchy leaves with the toes of my sneakers, scuffing the tips even more.

I have never really been bothered by what I wear, fashion has never really interested me much. I wear sneakers all year round and hoods on most days, never anything more revealing than a t-shirt. I never try to impress people, I don't see the point. But recently I have become much more aware of the things I put on. Rachel wears the most gaudy, disgustingly expensive clothes and I have always mocked her for it, thinking her attention seeking and paranoid about what others think. But what if Percy likes that? What if he likes girls who care about their appearance? I stare glumly at my old Green Day hood, picking at the peeling artwork self consciously.

I look at Percy, taking in his camp t-shirt, well worn sneakers and old, worn out jeans and I smile, rolling my eyes at myself. Percy wouldn't care, he likes me for who I am, we're best friends.

_Gods that boy brings out a strange side of me…_

I notice he's shivering and offer him his coat back but he waves away my hand.

"I'm a g-guy, I'm supp-p-posed to d-deal with the c-c-cold" he struggles to say around his shudders, his teeth chattering and goosebumps appearing all over the exposed skin on his arms.

I think for a moment before cautiously sliding closer to him and wrapping my arms around him. I would never normally do this, under any circumstances I avoid contact like this just in case I give myself away, but this second, here in the place where we used to play as children, our moment of isolation and contentment, it just seemed like the right thing to do.

For a moment he looks surprised at my sudden closeness, but then he leans down and once again scoops me up into his arms and places me carefully on his lap, my legs to one side and my face next to his. He wraps his arms around my waist under the coat, making me shiver slightly, but not from the cold, the heat from his body making my brain go into overdrive. Carefully, I loop my arms around his neck and rest my head on his shoulder, surreptitiously breathing in the smell of his t-shirt, trying not to think about how creepy that is.

_Gods Annabeth, sniffing the boy like a bloodhound at any chance you get, its just not natural…_

He shakes again with cold and pulls me closer until there is no gap between us at all, until I can feel every one of his movements, feel every heartbeat in his chest. He buries his head in my neck, his warm breath ghosting across my exposed skin, his cold nose brushing against the line of my jaw. He is like a furnace and I snuggle into his warmth as he hugs me tighter, my own personal shield against the world.

I like how well this description fits. He has always protected me, from bullies, from my family, from myself. I feel so lucky to have him, even as a friend. I smile to myself, breathing in his familiar, comforting smell, like blue cookies and sea-salt. His black hair, long at the moment, tickles my cheeks and I can feel his eyelashes brushing against my cheeks. Everything is perfect.

_He's just cold, it's not like he actually cares about you…._

I push the thoughts away, trying to just focus on the moment. My heart is beating wildly in my chest, a reaction to his close proximity, and i'm sure he can feel it. His heart is beating just as fast, something I find strange because surely if he was cold his heart rate would have decreased, due to his body slowing down…

My scientific brain starts going into over-drive as Percy pulls me impossibly closer, so that the rapid beating of his heart is very much obvious against my own chest, his hands slipping beneath the edge of my jumper, twisting his fingers in my t-shirt. My brain, despite his closeness, is still working, trying to think of some possible explanation for his increased heart rate.

_It cant be..._

Percy slowly moves his face from my neck, the chill afternoon air cooling the place where his burning flesh had once been, and starts to move towards my face, his nose trailing the edge of my jaw.

_The only other explanation for this is- _

My thoughts are abruptly cut off as Percy pulls back from my jaw until we arenas to nose, our breath mingling, our eyes locked onto each other. My brain is going haywire and every nerve is tingling as he leans in. I can taste his breath on my tongue, going cross eyed as I try to keep looking at him as he moves closer. I can feel his breath on my lips, my head automatically turning to stop our noses being squashed together. Our lips are inches away, then centimetres, then…

_Oh god oh help this is actually happening I cant..._

"Percy!"

Crap.

We both jump wildly, causing me to land with little dignity on the ground, bum fist, in a large puddle of muddy, freezing water. Percy has leapt to his feet, staring at the fast approaching figure of Rachel, who is stomping towards us with a look of murderous intent on her perfectly painted face. I swear, if looks could kill, I would be long dead….

"What the hell do you think you were doing?" she screeches at us, glaring at me as I get to my feet, wincing. Percy is holding up his hands as if in surrender, trying to ward off any potential slaps (which look imminent).

"N-nothing!" he says, sounding so unconvincing even I roll my eyes in exasperation, depute the situation "We were just getting warm-"

'I know exactly what you were doing!" screams Rachel, red hair flying in anger "You were about to kiss that- that- FREAK!"

"No you've got this wrong Rach, I would never do that to you, Annabeth's my friend.."

His words cut me like a knife, sending waves of anger and desolation through me. Percy is just standing there, still making excuses, not even defending me. After all I thought about him being my protector, after all he has done over the years, to this. He was just playing with my heart, he must have realised how I felt long ago. He was just teasing, playing, manipulating. Humiliation floods through me, followed by a strong, bubbling wash of rejection and stinging hurt. My face flushes crimson, my heart feels as if it has been ripped form my chest, and pounded into the pavement with one of Rachel's stiletto heels, and trust me, I've been on the receiving end of one of those monsters before, it hurts. Tears build up and threaten to fall and I fight my hardest to keep them at bay, but its useless. I know I'm probably being ridiculous and over dramatic, but I'm a girl so I'm allowed. I feel so lost, so alone, so utterly and completely heartbroken, and yet there stands Percy, still red, still arguing, still regretting.

I stand there, freezing cold and soaking wet, shaking with anger, cold and utter desolation, and I don't know whether I want to cry or punch him. In the end, I do both.

Before I know what I'm doing, my fist has connected with the side of his face, the impact sending a shudder right down my arm, leaving definite bruising on my knuckles, just as the tears I vowed never to let him see spill over and pour like a waterfall down my cheeks. He rolls away from the blow, clutching his jaw and staring at me with a look of shock and hurt.

I find I just don't care anymore.

I give him one last final look of disgust, and run from the bench, just as the sobs break free from my chest, leaving behind the couple shocked and still, and the winding river still running into the distance, the water foreboding and dark.

**Please review and tell me what you think! I promise I will love you forever! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Right so… apology time. It's been so long! And I am so unbelievably sorry, I really am. It's been a horrible couple of years and I have struggled a lot… but I am finally going to finish this story if it kills me. If any of you are still putting up with me, I am unbelievably grateful to you, you amazing people! I hope to have finished the new chapter in a couple of days, and then this story will finally be complete! YEY! **

**Here's a sneak preview of the new (and final) chapter: **

I hate Percy.

I hate his stupid perfect hair he way it always looks that little bit messy, like he's just rolled out of bed. I hate his stupid perfect smile and his stupid, genuinely lovely personality, and his stupid _stupid_ perfect eyes that glow when he talks about surfing or his mum or the way that he...

_Damn it!_

I fall back onto the bed, arms out, eyes firmly screwed closed. All I can think about is him, his stupid face, his laugh, his annoyingly gorgeous smile that makes his face light up and his eyes twinkle with mirth. My brain just wont let him go and even with my eyes screwed shut the image of his face when I left him in the park is branded behind my eyelids, the look of devastation and confusion causing my an almost physical pain. I had caused that.

My knuckles throb, bringing me back to the present. The skin is red and swollen, dark bruises already forming beneath my pale skin.

_Let it hurt _I think angrily.

I suppress a flinch when I remember the jarring impact as my hand connected with his stupid gorgeous cheekbone (_stop it Annabeth_). I can't ever remember loosing my temper in that way and I never imagined that it would be aimed at Percy. I feel as if all of my pent up feelings of hurt, guilt and anger were behind that punch, and unfortunately it seem as if all of that emotion was now branded on Percy's cheek in the the bruise I was sure to have left.

I groan, kicking out at my bedclothes in frustration, hating myself for being so vulnerable in front of him, letting him see just how much he hurt me. I was so stupid, throwing myself at him and all the while he was just laughing at me. He must think that I'm so pathetic.

_He would be right._

Tears leak from my firmly closed eyes and I press my sore knuckles against them to try and stem the flow, but they just keep coming. I curl up into a ball as the tears spill down my cheeks, sliding down my face and dripping pathetically onto the blanket beneath me and creating a dark patch against the worn blue fabric. I feel as if iron bars have clamped around my chest and suddenly its very hard to breathe. I lie there, wheezing as I struggle to draw air into my lungs, Percy's hurt face swimming before my eyes. I twist my camp t-shirt between shaking fingers, poking the many holes that seem to have multiplied over the years, most of them due to Percy and his uncanny ability to attract trouble. Eleven years of friendship, and now I've lost him.

**I hope you guys can forgive me… I'm really sorry to keep you waiting for so long **

**All my love, SilentNinja xxx**


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